Library Centres Series: Dictionary Detective!

Does anyone else have an old, dusty, gigantic dictionary collecting dust on a nice stand in their Library?

I decided to give some love to our trusty dictionary.  I wanted to meet three goals with this Library Centre:

1) To utilise an already existing area of the Library
2) To bring students into the Library
3) To develop research/dictionary skills

I introduced this centre last Wednesday and it took off like a racehorse!  After setting up the centre (which was already getting some attention due to the Book Fair also occuring) students were lining up to get their names in the draw.

This is what the centre looks like:

Dictionary Detective Centre

The total cost of this centre was about $3.  In part because I already had a lot of the materials.  The only thing that I had to purchase was the picture frame.  The Centre is located right beside the entrance, right beside the book return slot.

The centre sign was printed on cardstock and then coloured with felt markers (in part because my colour ink was all gone).  The picture was taken from google images.  The 'word of the week' is written on a post-it note and is changed every Wednesday.  The frame was purchased from the Dollar Store for $2.  It has an easy-open back since I will be changing the word weekly.

The entry forms are small (approximatly 2x4") where the students write down the required information.  Although I mentioned it to the students, I get the feeling the draw box may be stacked.  Therefore, I have my work cut out for me to check there are no double entries.  Havn't decided whether or not I will repremand students for their lack of listening skills yet.  I guess I'll see if there are any darlings who decided to not play by the rules.



The draw box is simply a lidded box found from the depths of my spare room.  It was a dollar store purchase years ago.  Two golf pencils are attached using fuzzy yarn.  Anyone else have a case of disappearing pencils in their classrooms or Library?

The draw will occur every Wednesday (a day I work) and will be announced on the morning announcements.  Shortly thereafter the word of the week changes and we continue on.  For the prize, students will be awarded a cool pencil and these nifty Guinness World Record Bookmarks found at Kool and Child for 3.49 for a package of 30.  The prize will also consist of a free bag of popcorn from the weekly school fundraiser.

What contests do you have running at your school? I love hearing about what other schools are doing to promote their Library.  This post will be part of a series of Library Centres that I will be adding to weekly.  Please feel free to ask me any questions or ideas for blog posts! Thanks for reading!

Yes!! A Graphic Novel with Substance!!!

In an attempt to spend some Scholastic money that has been fundraised through school sponsored Book Fairs, I wanted to purchase a high interest/low reading ability collection of books.  At a recent district Teacher Librarian meeting I was introduced to the RavenTales series and immediately a few students sprang to mind that keep checking out the Bones series by Jeff Smith.

Raven Tales is a series of books edited by David Bouchard (who I already loved with his book, The Elders are Watching).  Of course, this may have to do with my small infatuation with Roy Henry Vicker's artwork, but that's another story.....)The series is adapted from the movie series of the same name.  Every book is a short(ish) graphic novel that is based off of traditional Haida stories by Chris Kientz.   There are 26 books in the entire series.

Upon the books waiting to be processed (as with any brand new book), I approached our school’s AMAZING Aboriginal Educator Celine if she would like to create a bulletin board in the Library to get students excited about the new series.   So she and a few aboriginal students created this AWESOME display that really got the general student population interested.

When the books FINALLY became processed (it took months), I could not keep a single book in the Library for weeks.  Students were trading them (because they are so short) during class silent reading time.  The response has been fantastic.  Most of the students had previously been exposed to the stories since the Library also has the movie series and therefore Celine has shown many of them, however, it only seemed to provoke the student’s interest to also read the books.

My favourite part of the series has to the artwork.  Each has computer animated illustrations that speak volumes to traditional Haida artwork.  The characters are developed without obvious descriptions about their personality as told with traditional storytelling.  For example, in the book How the Raven Stole the Sun, the character Raven is portrayed as a trickster without any actual mention of it.  This allows the students to exercise their reading skills of inference and character building instead of ‘spelling it all out’ as I have noticed with many low leveled books.  The low readers are gravitating towards them because they are a shorter novel book that appeals to their demographic.

I am sorry my picture taking ability is terrible, I promise to work on it......

In conclusion, I am very pleased with the RavenTales series and look forward to more additions to my high interest/low leveled reader collection.  If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them!

Changing a Teacher

For my last assignment I was to seek out a teacher and help them to gain more understanding and information about a topic that would benefit them.  That is why I owe my friend Tamara big time.  She agreed to be my ‘guinea pig’ and collaborate with me to seek out new information that would help her instruct her Grade 8 English class.  I was already out of my comfort zone of elementary, so that in itself was a challenge.  However, I did find the exercise to benefit both Tamara and myself.

To begin I quickly asked Tamara what she was working on in class and what units she was planning for the near future.  I figured this was the best way and the most realistic way of engaging a teacher to collaborate with.  While at work, I find that I gain a very brief understanding of the general topic teachers are looking at planning and then go from there.  Then over the course of a coffee meeting we discussed the resources I found.

            I found this assignment to be worthwhile exercise in practicing finding resources for teachers.  Realistically I do not think I would have an hour to discuss website validity, but instead, hand over a compiled list and give the onus on the teacher to judge whether or not they will be using the sources provided.  However, it was interesting to note, that while working with Tamara she was quickly able to recognize whether or not she would be using the resources.  She made an interesting comment regarding that new teachers do not have time to sift through mountains of reading material and that the most helpful resources are ones that can be searched from within the site, to narrow down literature based on theme or idea.  I am currently looking to find this source for her.  In the meantime I feel I accomplished some of the needs of Tamara’s planning, and while I did not entirely meet her needs, I was able to be of assistance.  I did enjoy the search for resources to aid in another teacher’s planning, something that I will be putting to good use in my current Teacher Librarian position.

            The website discussed was Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Educators which I found to be highly useful and used it many times since this assignment.  It has many good links and is host to a vast amount of topics, grade levels and themes.

Knitting Club!!

I LOVE fiber arts.  I remember my Nanny teaching me to knit at the young age of 7 –something?? Since then my love of knitting has waved in and out of my life.  Since my young one is starting to nap regularly and sleep through the night (jinx), I find myself with the need to sit and relax with a cup of tea and a pair of knitting needles in my hand.  I have heard of other schools in the district hosting their own knitting clubs so I decided, for the rest of year to start my own club.

                By all means, I am in no way an expert.  However, if there is one thing I have learned teaching Library and technology, is that it doesn’t matter how little you know, just jump in where you are and go for it.  Take risks.  Learn from each other’s mistakes.  I am really good at basic garter stitch scarves so that is what we are doing.  Basic cast on, and go!

                The turn- out has been terrific! I about 10 girls that attend, ranging from grades 4-7, with all different levels of knitting knowledge.  There are a few whose grandmother’s have given the basics and just needed somewhere to practice, there are a few ‘experts’ who bring in their own projects and they just want to be around fellow classmates (they are WONDERFUL role models to those who are just beginning) and those who have never picked up needles in their lives.  Funny enough, I find new technology has crept into my knitting circle, using YouTube as a go-to source for those students who are stuck at home or waiting for me to help them out has been wonderful! I strongly recommend using the site as a quick how-to jump off point.  Another great site I have fallen in love with is Ravelry.com.  Here knitters and crocheters from around the globe can join forums, post patterns, and share their projects.

                To those wondering if they should start a knitting club in their school, my suggestion would be to just go for it!! Getting to know the students on a personal level is great- especially as a Librarian I only get to see them for a 30 minute block of instructional time a week.  The club runs once a week during long recess in the Library.  I keep a good supply of knitting books and gizmos for students to flip through to get inspired, and lots of yarn that came pouring in after putting in a request for yarn in the school newsletter. 

                Showing students what you are passionate about creates a level of community with students.  Starting to introduce the use of the Library as a social hub was another intention of starting a knitting club where students feel they can come and relax has been a great spin-off since starting the club.  Another perk is that knitting is a wonderful way of just sitting and talking with students about their interests….and if the topic just happens to fall on children’s literature so be it.  Either way, I know my Nanny would be proud.

Here a few sources that I have found to be been invaluable:

Teach A Group of Kids to Knit (Leisure Arts #3713) by Kay Meadors

Teen Knitting Club: Chill out and Knit by Jennifer Wenger

Stitch and Bitch: A Knitter’s Handbook by Debbie Stoller (I use this one as my own personal reference due to the racy title)

Charmed Knits: Projects for Fans of Harry Potter by Alison Hansel